Chris Gotterup opened the new PGA Tour season with three big birdies on the back nine that carried him to a six-under 64 and a two-shot victory in the Sony Open in in Hawaii.
Gotterup was two shots behind when he took advantage of a collapse by 54-hole leader Davis Riley and then birdied three of the last seven holes at a breezy Waialae Country Club to keep everyone else from catching him.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre carded a best-of-the-day 63 to finish in a share of fourth, behind the American trio of Patrick Rodgers (13 under), Ryan Gerard (14 under) and Gotterup (16 under).
Gotterup moves to No 17 in the world rankings - he was ranked 195th at the end of last year's Sony Open.
"I just felt like this week I was in a good frame of mind, just happy to be here," said Gotterup, who secured his third victory on the PGA Tour.
"I felt like I was in control of my brain, which is the most important thing. I drove it great and made some putts when it mattered."
Gerard birdied his last two holes for a 65 to finish alone in second, while Rodgers had another chance at his first PGA Tour victory, but he went without a birdie on the back nine until the final hole. He closed with a 65 to finish third.
Riley started with a two-shot lead and stayed two ahead with a pair of birdies through the opening five holes.
But then it all fell part quickly with three-putt bogeys from long range on the sixth and seventh, and a wild tee shot into the trees that led to double bogey on the eighth. That stretch took from two shots ahead to three shots behind, and Riley never caught up.
Gotterup holed a 20-footer on the 12th, and then poured in a 25-foot putt on the 13th, the toughest hole on the course. He all but clinched it with a tee shot that landed perfectly between the pin and the bunker on the par-three 17th for a final birdie.
European Ryder Cup star MacIntyre, meanwhile, made five birdies in racing to the turn in 30 and picked up further shots at the 15th and 18th to reach 12 under par for the week.
England's Harry Hall claimed a share of sixth place after carding a 69 having started the day two shots behind overnight leader Riley.
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